Saturday, November 20, 2010

one of those ordinary days

Amanda was definitely going to put Asa out of her mind. She'd probably never see him that much. Would she?

As it was she was having a slow go of a morning. She was wondering around her bedroom looking for a bra. As it was, she didn't have a shirt on either. Freedom. At last. Why was it she was in a sweat after a shower? It was freezing outside. She went in the hall to see if Elliot had turned up the thermostat. He had. She turned it down to 70. He always wanted it, so hot.

Still no bra. Just in her undies. How did men do it? She thought about going topless for a while. See how long she could do it. It was her house. She looked at the bedroom door that was closed. There was Rosie to think about. And the Avon to deliver. Always something. She winced then as if she never had any time for herself. But was this what she'd do? Just look at herself in the mirror and wonder if her breasts were perky enough. Or would she stare at them, wondering how long it would be until she got breast cancer like her Mom and..and..it was a cold thought then. She needed to get dressed. Now.

The doorbell rang. Amanda panicked. Where in the fuck was her bra? She looked everywhere. She listened. Little patters of feet ran to the door.

"ROSIE! NO! NO!" How many times had she warned her about this? Amanda was getting frantic. All she could find was Elliot's flannel shirt and it was kind of snug. He didn't have breasts to worry about. She ran barefooted to Rosie's room. Of course, she wasn't there. She looked down at her cheap gray yoga pants. At least they were clean.

"MOMMIE!" Rosie yelled back. "MOMMIE!"

Amanda wished the chain on the door was higher. She ran to the livingroom then. Rosie was holding Asa's hand. "Look, Mommie, its my other Uncle boyfriend." She smiled.

"What are you doing here?" She just looked at him, hoping she could get Rosie to do all the talking because really she shouldn't be talking to him. She didn't before. Not really. Just a few 'oh's' and 'uh-huhs'.

"I got a car." He smiled. "You two want to go somewhere?" Naturally, Rosie grabbed both of his hands and jumped up and down. She suggested MacDonalds since it was her favorite place in the whole world best ever to eat.

"Well, then." Asa grinned more. "I guess its a date." He looked at Amanda then at Rosie who had planted her feet on his black round boots. She rocked back and forth as if she were going to keep him in her room if she could.

Amanda hugged herself. She really needed a sweater on. Hopefully, she wouldn't melt in it.

They loaded up soon enough to get to the fast food street.

"Look, its just breakfast, Rosie." Amanda held on to her. Rosie was making a fool of herself, all over Asa.

"I don't care. Hashbrowns! Hashbrowns!" She was all happy about that, squirming out of Amanda's arms to hug Asa.

"And juice." Really, all Amanda  wanted was coffee.

"You sure." Asa got muffins, anyway. "I should have called, but I don't have your number." He then said while Rosie played with the hash browns but soon enough, found someone to play with at the indoor playground.

Amanda didn't know if he meant her number or the house phone. They were getting rid of the house phone. She looked out at the parking lot at his blue Subaru. It was used, but definitely durable for the winter. Why couldn't they have a car that nice? Elliot kept messing around with his crappy L.T.D because it was his first car and sometimes, she did wonder if they'd keep in the garage for good when it expired, completely.

"I gotta find a real job." He told her.

"I don't really have one." But she mentioned the Avon. He told her he'd be happy to help her deliver the products. Amanda didn't want to smile, but she did. He was so sweet and kind. She bet everyone missed him back at the rain forest.

7 comments:

  1. Very offbeat. Interesting to know how she is. Got to wonder how Rosie will be when she grows up.

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  2. I love being reintroduced to these characters! :)

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  3. I like the quirky Amanda. It makes her real.

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  4. Oh, Amanda, its hard to be Mom and somebody's wife. I think she has a lot more to juggle than we know.

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  5. There is a certain sadness I feel for her.

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